A Few Updates For You

Dear Brethren and Friends:

As always I hope this update finds you well.

I received word this morning that Bro. Bill Fairman, 32° is undergoing chemotherapy. Bro. Bill is long time active Valley member and a consistent Candidate recommender.

If you wish to send him a card or note, please contact me in the Scottish Rite Office for his information.

Please keep our Brother in your thoughts and prayers.

2012 SPRING CLASS PETITION COUNT UPDATE: We now have 6 petitions for the Class. Keep them coming in! Remember we have a goal of  33 Candidates for this Class. Can we make it happen? Yes, we can!

Bro. Jim Rae, 32°, MSA has announced a new update to our Valley Family Day at Campbell’s Field on Sunday, June 3, 2012, a River Sharks baseball cap with “Valley of Philadelphia” on the back!

Tickets will be available soon in the Scottish Rite Office and the March 2012 issue of The Double Eagle will have an order form.

Same as last year, the tickets will cost $12 for persons ages 13 and up and $6 for folks 12 and under. For an additional $10 per ticket you can get the River Sharks-Valley of Philadelphia cap to wear to the game!

This will be our third year having the picnic/baseball game with the River Sharks. The last two years have sold out, and with this new update, tickets will no doubt be in demand. Don’t be left out! Watch your March Double Eagle for ordering information!

Well that’s all I have for now. Do me a favor will you? Tell your friends about “Across My Desk-the web edition.” Lets get the word out about how great it is to be a member of the Scottish Rite and the Valley of Philadelphia!

Please continue to remember Ill. Charles H. Myers, 33° and Bro. William Fairman, 32° in your prayers. God Bless them both.

May the Grand Architect continue to watch over all of you and your families.

Sincere fraternal regards,

Steven A. Morrison, 33°

Valley Secretary

Thinking Spring in January!

Dear Brethren and Friends:

Well, I hope the new year is treating you well so far. Hey, how can we complain we’re SNOW FREE!

Our Sovereign Prince, Bro. Steve Bradley, 32° has announced the Valley’s Spring bus trip. It will be on Sunday, March 25, 2012 and is headed to the Showboat Casino in Atlantic City.

All Valley members, their Ladies and Master Mason friends are welcome to participate in this outing. The buses, that’s right there’s two of them scheduled, will depart from LuLu Shriners, 5140 Butler Pike, Plymouth Meeting and Tacony Masonic Temple, 4400 Magee Avenue in NE Philadelphia at 9:00 A.M.

The cost per person (18 and older please and be sure to have a photo id with you) is $25 with the Casino giving you back $30 (read-FREE MONEY!!!). The buses will depart for home at 4:00 P.M.

Make your check payable to “Scottish Rite Bodies” and send it to the Scottish Rite Office, Masonic Temple, One North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107-2520. Be sure to put “Casino Trip” and your boarding location on your check’s memo line.

I received an update regarding the Abbott Scottish Rite Scholarships. According to our Deputy, Ill. Russell W. Baker, 33°, grandchildren are eligible to apply for the Scholarship if, the grandfather (who must be a Scottish Rite Mason in the Northern Jurisdiction) can claim the grandchild as a full dependent.

Abbott Scottish Rite Scholarship applications are available by writing (yes, your email is sufficient) to the Scottish Rite Office, Masonic Temple, One North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107-2520 or by email to phila.aasr@juno.com The Deadline for submitting applications is Friday, March 16, 2012.

Do you know what else happens on Friday, March 16^th? That’s right our Spring Reunion begins!  We have a LOT of WORK to do! As of today we have a grand total of 5 candidates for that Class.  I spoke to a few of the guys in my Lodge last week and I’ve got petitions coming in, which I need to follow up on.

Remember our Spring Class Honoree is our late Brother, Ill. Armando M. Duran, 33°. Armando was the first line signer for 33 Valley Members. We need to match his effort at the very least.  To best his 33 would be a spectacular tribute to our Brother’s memory. Lets get to work guys.  Five candidates is not acceptable, we can and have done better.

How about a challenge? Lets see if the Lodge of Perfection Line is truly greater than the Rose Croix Line as they proclaim. Can the 14° recommend more Candidates than the 18°? Or how about the Council Line challenging both the 14° and 18°? Don’t forget the Consistory. They have more Officers than the other three lines but can they get more Candidates?

As you know by now I always say it’s not a “successful” Class unless we have 20 or more Candidates, well with only 5 right now the task lies in front of us. Pick up your working tools Brethren and get the job done.

Valley Officers both Elected and Appointed as well as Committee Members are reminded to put the Annual Officers Training Conference on your calendar.  This year’s Conference is scheduled for Saturday, April  14, 2012 at the Tacony Masonic Temple, 4400 Magee Avenue in NE Philadelphia. Please visit http://www.philascottishrite.org/announceofficer_training.htm for more information.

Any Valley member that is desirous of getting more actively involved in the Valley are welcome and encouraged to attend the Conference. Call the Scottish Rite Office to register your attendance.

Don’t forget our Annual Memorial Service on Sunday, April 29, 2012 at the historic Gloria Dei (Old Swede’s ) Church, Columbus Blvd & Christian Streets in South Philadelphia.

The Service held to memorialize our Valley Brethren lost during the past year, is one of the most important events on our annual calendar. All Valley Officers, Elected and Appointed should plan to be there.

As always a complimentary dinner will follow the Service in the Church’s social hall. Reservations are required for the dinner. Be sure to call 215-563-1814 to reserve your dinners.

Tickets will be available soon for the Valley’s Family Day at Campbell’s Field. Once again we will have the picnic section of the ballpark for a great day of Atlantic League Baseball action featuring the Camden River Sharks vs the Somerset Patriots. Please click on over to http://www.philascottishrite.org/announcefamily_life.htm for more information.

Get these dates on your calendar now:

Friday, March 16^th-Spring Special Communication of Philadelphia Lodge of Perfection. 4° (DVD),8° and 14° presented

Sunday, March 25^th-Showboat Casino –Atlantic City Bus Trip

Saturday, April 14^th-Annual Officer’s Training Conference, Tacony Masonic Temple, 4400 Magee Avenue, NE Philadelphia

Friday, April 20^th-DeJoinville Council Princes of Jerusalem, Spring Special Convocation, Kilwinning Chapter of Rose Croix, Spring Special Assembly. 16° & 18° presented

Sunday, April 29^th-Annual Memorial Service, Gloria Dei Church, Columbus Blvd & Christian Street

Friday, May 11^th-Spring Special Rendezvous, Benjamin Franklin Consistory, 30° (Scottish Rite Passport ALERT!), 31° and 32° presented.

Friday, May 18^th-Annual Meeting of the Scottish Rite Bodies, recognition of our 50-year members, Election and Installation of Officers for Philadelphia Lodge of Perfection, DeJoinville Council, Princes of Jerusalem & Kilwinning Chapter of Rose Croix, plus 1 Trustee and 1 At-Large Member (33°) of the Executive Committee.

Sunday, June 3^rd-Valley of Philadelphia Family Day at Campell’s Field, Camden River Sharks vs  Somerset Patriots.

Well that will do it for this edition. May the Grand Architect continue to watch over all of you and your families.

Don’t forget to keep the prayers coming for Ill. Charles H. Myers. 33°.

Sincere fraternal regards,

Steven A. Morrison, 33°

Valley Secretary

Happy New Year!

Dear Brethren and Friends:

Happy New Year! Lets hope that 2012 is a great year for each of you, your families and our Valley!

While I'm on the subject of "new," congratulations go out to the new Grand Lodge Officers and in particular our Most Wise Master, Ill. Robert J. Bateman, 33, on his election and installation as Right Worshipful Deputy Grand Master. Way to go Bob!

Despite the cold temperatures, Spring is just over the horizon and along with it is our 2012 Spring Reunion.

The Reunion begins with the Special Communication of Philadelphia Lodge of Perfection, on Friday evening, March 16th. The Degrees to be presented that night are the; 4th (DVD), 8th and 14th.

The Reunion continues on Friday, April 18, 2012. DeJoinville Council, Princes of Jerusalem and Kilwinning Chapter of Rose Croix, will present the 16th and 18th Degrees respectively as part of the Spring Special Convocation and Special Assembly.

The Spring Reunion concludes on Friday, May 11, 2012, when Benjamin Franklin Consistory presents the 30th (Scottish Rite Passport ALERT!!!), 31st and 32nd Degrees.

As I've reported before the Class is named in memory of our late Illustrious Bro. Armando M. Duran, 33.

Lets all do our part to honor him with a large Class. He was the first line recommender of 33 Valley Members. It would be great to match his efforts and even better to have more.

SPECIAL CHALLENGE: To those 33 members who Armando recommended, why not honor the man who brought you to Scottish Rite by doing the same for another Brother. Can you think of a better way to say "Thank You?"

Also this Spring:

Don't forget that the Deadline for submitting applications for the Abbott Scottish Rite Scholarship is Friday, March 16, 2012.

They've changed the eligibility requirements to apply for the Scholarship: Those now eligible are; a child of a Scottish Rite Mason in the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction or a member of DeMolay,. Rainbow or Job's Daughters who is a currently enrolled freshman, sopohmore, junior or senior of an accredited college or university, with a minimum grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale. Please note that grandchildren are no longer eligible to apply.

To obtain an application, write to the Scottish Rite Office, Masonic Temple, One North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107-2520.

The Valley's Annual Officer's Training Conference will be held on Saturday, April 14, 2012 at the Tacony Masonic Temple, 4400 Magee Avenue, in Northeast Philadelphia.

A Continental Breakfast will be served at 7:30 AM and the Conference begins at 8:30 AM. It is expected to conclude at noon.

All Elected and Appointed Officers are expected to attend. Valley Committee Members should plan to attend and any Valley Member is interested in becoming more active and involved is encouraged to attend.

See your December 2011 issue of The Double Eagle for a reservation coupon or call 215-563-1814.

Kilwinning Chapter of Rose Croix will again host the Valley's Annual Memorial Service on Sunday, April 29, 2012 at Gloria Dei (Old Swede's) Church, Columbus Blvd & Christian Street.

The Service begins at 3:00 PM and a complimentary dinner will be served in the Church's social hall following. RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED! Please use the reservation coupon in the December Double Eagle or call 215-563-1814.

All Valley Elected and Appointed Officers should plan on attending the Service.

Our Family Life Chairman, Bro. Jim Rae, MSA is again working to put together a Valley Family Day at Campbell's Field. The event which features a catered picnic and some great minor league baseball action featuring the Camden River Sharks, has been a popular event in the Valley. Information will be available soon. Don't miss out!

Jim is also working on plans for an event at the Cape May County Zoo. Stay tuned.

Well that will do it for now. Again, Happy New Year everyone!

Sincere fraternal regards,

Steven A. Morrison, 33
Valley Secretary